The use of ammonium polyphosphate salts as a flame retardant compound is well know in the arts. The salts of organic polyphosphorus compounds of this invention are novel compounds which have desirable properties which decrease flammability and smoke production when these products are burned or when products containing these compounds or compositions are burned. Many organic phosphorus containing compounds and their salts have been produced, and there are many patents related to production and use of organic phosphorus containing compounds. Many other flame retardants have also been known, for example and examples thereof are mentioned in, for example, Fine Chemical, Vol. 20, No. 11 (1991), pp. 9-36. The salts of organic polyphosphorus compounds of this invention as flame retardants are an improvement over the known salts of organic phosphorus compounds as flame retardant compounds because they do not contain halogens. Many of the salts of organic polyphosphorus compounds contain halogens, such as found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,755,547, produces toxic fumes when burned. The salts of organic polyphosphorus compounds of this invention are also an improvement over known salts of organic phosphorus compounds, in regards to their ability to with stand high enough temperature without decomposing, so they can be mixed in thermoplastic resin and produce a flame retarded resin. Another improvement of these flame retardant compounds of this invention over the prior art flame retardants are their ability to be used in small amounts, so that the physical properties of the thermoplastic resins are not deteriated and the molding processing characteristics and surface appearance of molded article obtained therefrom are not deteriorated.
The object of this invention is to provide salts of organic polyphosphorus compounds and compositions containing salt of organic polyphosphorus compounds which are capable of rendering organic material less flammable. These flame retardant compounds may be utilized in the production of insulation foams, building components, coating agents, surfactants, molded plastic products an many other uses.